On Easter Sunday in 1993, inmates at a maximum-security correctional facility in Lucasville, Ohio, grabbed control for 11 days, making it the longest prison siege in U.S. history. Rioters took eight prison guards hostage, one of whom was killed – along with nine inmates.

Netflix’s new documentary series “Captive,” from filmmakers Simon and Jonathan Chinn and Doug Liman, kicks off its eight-episode first season by recounting the harrowing events behind that riot, interviewing both inmates and guards involved with the hostage stand-off. But unlike Netflix’s “Making a Murderer,” which premiered during the holiday season in 2014, “Captive” follows a new story every episode. Later hours include the story of a kidnapped Brazilian-American woman who ran her family’s Coca-Cola bottling plant.

“There probably wasn’t a hostage story from the past 20 years or so that we didn’t look at,” Simon Chinn (“Man on a Wire”) told IndieWire. Besides asking whether each story had enough of a narrative to sustain an hour of television, Chinn was on the lookout for archival footage and access to the various players ­­– in particular, the hostage takers.

“I think that was a big part of our pitch to Netflix,” he said. “We wanted to tell stories that felt extremely morally complex and surprising, where the good guys and the bad guys were sometimes indistinguishable.”

That kind of storytelling is also what brought Liman on board. “I think I’ve always been super drawn to anti-heroes,” Liman said. ” It shouldn’t surprise you if you look at my movies because Jason Bourne is an anti-hero… I’m not sure I’d ever direct a Tom Hanks movie because he’s such a hero. I definitely find myself in these stories connecting just as much, if not more, with the hostage taker and how they got to where they got to. My brother was a federal prosecutor and I oftentimes was rooting for him to lose cases because I’d be like, ‘I get why that person turned to a life of crime,’ that the world was unfair.”

Indeed, in the prison hostage episode Chinn, Liman and their team manage to unofficially interview some of the inmates (now being held at a Supermax facility), as well as a number of the hostages, and even the prison warden, who still struggles with the events, nearly 25 years later.

“Captive” blends those interviews and archival footage with re-enactments, which Chinn admits has been a controversial practice.

“But I think actually what we’ve witnessed in the past decade or so is a greater acceptance of deploying some of the tools from fiction to the documentary form,” he said. “I think people expect their documentaries to push the form. I think the purist idea of documentary, that the actions should somehow unfold in front of the camera and we should just observe or tell stories in a very, very particular way following very prescribed rules, fortunately in my view, those rules have been broken so many times as to not exist anymore.”

Liman said he thinks “re-enactments” became a dirty word because “they were done poorly,” and that documentaries became too synonymous with news.

“I went to USC film school and they taught documentary film there, and they taught the same techniques for documentary film that they taught for narrative film,” he said. “All we’re doing is we’re being storytellers first and foremost. We’re just telling stories that really happened and we’re showing the real people and we’re seeing how real people really reacted in these extraordinary situations. We’re being good storytellers, and there’s a point where you could do re-creations and you could hurt your storytelling, because part of what makes these stories so compelling is the real footage. If you ever started doubting the real footage, the stories in ‘Captive’ might lose some of their impact, so you have to be restrained in some of your re-creations the same way I have to be restrained in my narrative storytelling.”

Liman said he believed narrative features and documentaries have borrowed so much from each other over the years that their styles and techniques have become blurred.

“When I started out making feature films, I actually employed a lot of the techniques of documentary films,” he said, “including the fact that I used an Aaton 35 millimeter camera, which was a documentary film camera. And I put together production teams that looked a lot more like a documentary team than a feature film team… You start having documentaries that are beginning to look like ‘Bourne Identity,’ and so I think that we’re headed towards each other. It’s more honest storytelling as audiences get more sophisticated.”

“Captive” was produced as a full series, but each hour had its own director and producers handling the editorial and re-enactments (which were shot in locations including South Africa, Romania and the U.S.). Showrunners Alex Marengo and Kathryn Taylor oversaw four episodes each, and eight editing rooms were operating simultaneously at London’s Modern Air.

“[Netflix] certainly weren’t heavy-handed in the notes process at all, so it was a really good relationship I think founded on a strong mutual ambition for the series,” Chinn said. “They bought into the idea of a series very early, the global scope of it.”

As for a second season, Chinn said he’s ready and in early discussions with Netflix. “Fingers crossed, we’ve got a number of stories, some of which didn’t quite make it to season one because we couldn’t quite get the access,” he said, “but I think we’ll figure that out for season two.”

]]>http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/doug-liman-simon-chinn-netflix-captive-1201756318/feed/01201756318The Best Films, TV Shows and More of 2016, According to IndieWire’s Staffhttp://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/best-films-tv-shows-podcasts-books-2016-1201755888/
http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/best-films-tv-shows-podcasts-books-2016-1201755888/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 17:00:54 +0000Indiewire Staffhttp://www.indiewire.com/?p=1201755888

As the IndieWire staff makes our more formal editorial lists for the end of 2016, we wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate not just the truly great and personal moments that we experienced thanks to pop culture, but some of the ephemera that might have slipped through the cracks, but was equally memorable.

Ahead, check out some of our parts of the year that was. Maybe you’ll even find something new to love, too.

Dana Harris, Editor-in-Chief

In alphabetical order:

1. “20th Century Women”

Mike Mills’ love poem to his mom is also a genuine portrayal of womanhood. Not bad for a dude.

2. “Author: The JT Leroy Story”

This was the first time I’ve been able to enjoy JT Leroy since the concept was revealed as a fraud.

3. “The Club”

Pablo Larrain’s first film of his extraordinary 2016. Its portrait of defrocked priests has compassion and humor while not letting these men off the hook.

4. “The Crown”

Never understood why anyone would want to be a royal-watcher? One binge later, now you do.

5. “Hell Or High Water”

The best waitress-in-a-diner scene since “Five Easy Pieces.” Set in Archer City, Texas, home to Larry McMurtry and “The Last Picture Show,” this film shares some of their excellent DNA.

6. “Insecure”

Like this show’s perception of Los Angeles itself, Issa Rae and Larry Willmore’s comedy is peopled by characters who are deeply flawed and entirely real.

7. “The Jungle Book”

It feels like Jon Favreau created a new genre: Call it heartfelt CGI.

8. “La La Land”

Worth the price of admission for the opening and closing scenes alone.

9. “Moonlight”

A deeply personal story, told by a masterful young filmmaker, with a cast of discoveries. And, they’re all African American. And, it’s making money. It feels like a miraculous middle finger to the rest of 2016.

10. “Weiner”

It’s hard not to be mesmerized by a train wreck, especially when it happens over and over again.

Eric Kohn, Deputy Editor and Chief Critic

Yes, I already released my official top 16 movies of the year, and do stand by them. But, boy, did it sting to cut some of the other contenders from my list, which I start to assemble in January. The more movies you see the longer the list gets; here are some must-see outtakes.

1. “Neon Bull”

Many filmmakers obsess over characters living on the margins of civilization, but Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro has the rare ability to burrow inside their experiences. In two narrative features and a handful of documentaries, Mascaro’s filmography blends an textured storytelling with anthropological investigation. The newest of them, “Neon Bull,” offers startling proof of this talent. Mascaro’s vibrant depiction of Brazilian cowhands delivers a detailed look at a nomadic universe that’s simultaneously flamboyant and gritty. While technically a fictional narrative, it provides a bridge to Mascaro’s nonfiction background by emphasizing the sights and sounds of a contained environment. Lyrically involving and deeply sensual, “Neon Bull” showcases a full-fledged artist in command of his form.

2. “Captain Fantastic”

The first time Viggo Mortensen surfaces in “Captain Fantastic,” he’s covered in mud, presenting a trophy to his shirtless son moments after the teen butchers a wild deer with his bare hands. It’s a spellbinding image that epitomizes the oddball tribalism that Mortensen’s character, Ben, has developed with his isolated clan of six children in the Pacific Northwest, and immediately establishes the striking intelligence of actor-director Matt Ross’ feature-length debut. Despite a premise that could easily turn hokey or farcical — radical parent raises kids in the woods, then suddenly must face reality when he takes them back to civilization — “Captain Fantastic” manages to inhabit the utopian highs of Ben’s unorthodox world even as it falls apart. It’s a timely movie about living in a bubble and fighting to stay there.

3. “The Lobster”

It doesn’t take much to synopsize the fundamental weirdness of “The Lobster,” Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos’ marvelously offbeat English-language debut: It’s a movie set in a world where being single is a crime and subordinates get transformed into animals of their choosing. Perhaps understanding as much, Lanthimos gets that high concept premise out of the way upfront, establishing the plight of leading man David (Colin Farrell, mustachioed and pot-bellied, submerged in a wonderfully unglamorous turn), one of the unlucky bachelors in question. David is a hapless anti-hero less interested in rebelling against the system than simply letting it toss him around — until he wanders elsewhere and discovers love in an unorthodox place. Per usual with Lanthimos, the boundaries of a restrictive society were meant to be broken, and “The Lobster” excels at exploring the catharsis of escaping expectations.

4. “The Treasure”

This surprisingly warmhearted Romanian effort from “Police, Adjective” director Corneliu Porumboiu finds a good-natured blue collar worker invested in the peculiar effort to help his neighbor find buried treasure beneath an old family property. From the makings of a deadpan comedy, in which the high pitch wail of a metal detector becomes a hilarious audio motif worthy of Jacques Tati, “The Treasure” transforms into a bizarre thriller about Romanian bureaucracy — not unlike the ending of Porumboiu brilliant “Police, Adjective,” where the conclusion revolved around a superior officer forcing his employee to look up several words in a dictionary. In the case of “The Treasure,” Costi and his neighbor are warned of state regulations that force them to report any riches they find. Whether or not they discover anything of value, it’s bound to be subjected to the same drab rules that dictate their working class routine. Porumboiu manages to deliver this heady thesis with a disarmingly light touch, something we’ve never quite seen in other movies of its ilk. The triumphant finale suggests that victory lies not with material goods but the way we choose to perceive them.

5. “Chevalier”

An early poster for Greek director Athina Rachel Tsangari’s “Chevalier” features the cryptic tagline “a buddy movie without buddies,” which aptly describes the macho rivalries at its center. Tsangari’s inventive story follows six apparently wealthy men on a ship in the Aegean Sea playing a vaguely-defined game to determine which of them holds the greatest traits. It’s never entirely clear whether they’re all just messing around or feel a deeper urge to triumph in their eccentric contest. The only certainty is Tsangari — whose “Attenberg” was a lovely and unconventional coming-of-age story — has delivered another intriguing and thoroughly original character study, which this time serves as an apt metaphor for Greece’s larger problems.

6. “Wiener-Dog”

Todd Solondz’s latest sad-funny window into the lives of lonely characters is a brilliant ensemble piece featuring some of his stalwarts (Dawn Weiner, this time resurrected by a solemn Greta Gerwig) and some welcome newcomers (Danny Devito as a disgruntled film professor who may or may not be an avatar for Solondz himself). But the real star of the show is a wandering daschund, a complete innocent who bears witness to so much suffering in the world as he changes hands while remaining blissfully ignorant of it all; by the end, his perspective is both enviable and wise, although Solondz leaves no room for happy endings. The gut punch of the finale is the most cynical statement of his career, and that’s saying something — partly, that this is one of the most exciting, radical narrative filmmakers working in America today.

7. “Embers”

The directorial debut of New York-based filmmaker Claire Carré, “Embers” (which quietly screened at a handful of festivals last fall and made its way to digital platforms this year) takes place in a post-apocalyptic future in which nearly everyone suffers from short-term memory loss. Imagine “Memento” by way of “The Matrix” and you might start to get an idea for this haunting, innovative drama, in which numerous characters deal with daily confusion. At the center of the movie is a heartbreaking romance featuring a wandering couple (Iva Gocheva and Jason Ritter) who keep waking up unfamiliar with each other or their surroundings. Carré infuses their scenes together with wondrous existential yearning, while cycling through several other alienated figures: a young child, a committed scientist, and a teen woman living underground with her memories intact even as she yearns to escape.

8. “Aquarius”

Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho’s absorbing drama has a secret weapon: Thirty years after “Kiss of the Spider Woman” first brought her international acclaim, Sonia Braga delivers an extraordinary performance as the resident of an old Recife apartment building standing her ground in the face of avaricious developers looking to kick her to the curb. It’s the ultimate tough cookie role: Shrewd, domineering and confident against daunting odds, she turns an ageist threat into an opportunity to reclaim her youth.

9. “Nuts!”

“Nuts!” might be the closest we get to a documentary in the vein of Charlie Kaufman: It’s a seriocomic story of passion and desperation that transforms into something far more mysterious and provocative. Actually directed by Penny Lane (“Our Nixon”), this mesmerizing portrait of celebrity medical practitioner and radio mogul Dr. John Romulus Brinkley more or less takes place within its subject’s mind. Brilliantly combining archival material, voiceovers, contemporary interviews and a variety of hand-drawn animation, the movie deconstructs the process of self-mythologizing from the inside out.

10. “The Eyes of My Mother”

There was no greater discovery at this year’s Sundance than Nicolas Pesce’s black-and-white horror film, which conveys a nightmarish world equal parts David Lynch and Tobe Hooper. Peace’s studied compositions and eerie atmosphere convey a surprisingly intimate perspective on the life of a disturbed young woman raised in the countryside, where she forged a peculiar bond with the murderous lunatic locked in her barn. Oddly touching and terrifying in equal measures, “The Eyes of My Mother” conveys a sharp directorial vision that nods to the past while building an entirely freshly unsettling experience.

Michael Schneider, Executive Editor

One of the perks of the gig? Sitting down with actors, producers and executives to discuss TV – sometimes in front of hundreds (or, at Comic-Con, thousands) of screaming fans… and sometimes in front of jaded industry audiences. Either way, it’s a unique way to get a bit more insight into the personality and professionalism of some industry heavy hitters. Some come to play, some are a bit more introspective and some are… a bit crazy.

What can I say, Ted Danson is a national treasure — and I told him that, an embarrassingly several times. Kristen Bell was great, and Mike and Drew are always hysterical. This year’s Comic-Con highlight.

Nothing better than getting a bunch of chatty, amiable showrunners together to talk shop. The Wondercon Showrunners panel is always one of my favorites, because these folks rarely get to see each other and swap stories.

This was a tough one, a difficult subject — and this was before the controversy surrounding the doc. But it was a good conversation, and one that offered hope (well, before the election season really got under way) that perhaps the tide was turning in the gun debate.

We made some news with this one, getting Telegdy to admit on the record that “The Apprentice” was pretty much the launching pad for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Trust me, he heard from Trump pretty quickly!

Anne Thompson, Editor at Large

1. “The Jungle Book”

Jon Favreau and screenwriter Justin Marks took Rudyard Kipling’s classic tales of Mowgli and his brothers and, with help from James Cameron and Martin Scorsese’s go-to VFX master Rob Legato, created a seamlessly natural digital world with many vibrant animal characters — and one live boy (Neel Sethi). Maybe Favreau makes it look too easy. This isn’t fantasy-world “Avatar.” This is digital India. He calls up fond memories of Disney’s 1967 animated musical, weaving in a couple of songs and creating a grand set piece led by Christopher Walken as a giant ancient orangutan (gigantopithecus, to be exact). Actor Favreau playfully kept Sethi responsive and interested, throwing surprises at him. So what if this is a family film? Audiences around the world recognized its universal appeal to the tune of $964 million. Favreau is one of the most capable directors working in Hollywood. Who else would credit his research on the scruffy sleeper comedy “Chef” with helping him to learn how to work with VFX houses? This movie is up there with “Avatar,” “Life of Pi,” “Gravity,” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” as a cinematic groundbreaker for the ages.

2. “Manchester by the Sea”

Everything went right on this New England heart-tugger. With his third feature, writer-director Kenneth Lonergan, master of the telling detail, weaves a careful tapestry of grief and family and disconnectedness, leaning on a real town and a superb cast led by Casey Affleck as Lee, a depressed, shut-down Boston janitor given the care of his beloved nephew (Lucas Hedges), who’s having a pretty good high school year back in Manchester when his father (Kyle Chandler) suddenly dies. Slowly, Lonergan lets us know, via organic flashbacks, what happened to Lee and his ex-wife (Michelle Williams), who are forced to see each other again. That’s the scene that sets grown men crying.

3. “Toni Erdmann”

It’s a treat to come across something utterly unexpected, even if it’s almost three hours long. On her third feature (which was robbed of a prize at Cannes but is Germany’s Oscar entry), writer-director Maren Ade, working with gifted theater actors, crafts an unpredictable and hilarious father/daughter comedy. When I interviewed Sandra Huller and Peter Simonischek — she’s a workaholic corporate businesswoman who is mortified when her shaggy-dog retired father keeps trailing after her in toothy disguise as his alter-ego Toni Erdmann — they were still affectionately arguing about their characters. Ade is not surprised; she likes to keep the audience guessing, too.

William Earl, Digital Director

1. “The Eric Andre Show”

In a year that made no sense, Eric Andre kept the crazy flowing with his increasingly unhinged persona. But just when his unwashed, disheveled character threatened to fall out of reality completely, we’d always have Hannibal Buress, Kraft Punk, or some other weirdo there to pull us from the brink.

2. “The Neon Demon”

Praise be to Nicolas Winding Refn for not caring about the audience. Many critics cried out that this film was boorish, self-indulgent, and flat-out stupid, but I found it a lush, brilliant nightmare jaggedly ripping a hole in the entertainment industry I love and loathe. Ferocious and divisive, it was never anything less than a spectacle.

3. Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo”

This year was meltdown after meltdown for Kanye West, and I hope he comes out of it in one piece. As a souvenir, he delivered one of the most splintered, joyful, sensual, and disgusting records of the last decade. Every West album is an event, and this was as dense and alienating as they come.

4. “We Hate Movies” podcast

Pretty much the entire day at IndieWire NYC is spent talking about film, and discovering the unabashedly silly podcast “We Hate Movies” was a way for me to funnel my passion into something light and comfortable. Anchored by four lifelong friends who work in different ends of the entertainment business, it allows me to turn off the stress of the day during my train ride home.

5. Mica Levi’s “Jackie” score

I find biopics to be, by and large, hopelessly boring, but Mica Levi’s compositions for Pablo Larraín’s “Jackie” had me sit up straight in my seat from the first notes. Natalie Portman was a wonderful acting angel in a career-defining role, but nothing will stick with me from that brilliant film like the dramatic strings that bucked any sort of convention or routine.

Did someone order a 352-page book all about “A Nightmare on Elm Street”? Well, I did. This one goes DEEP down the rabbit hole, but it’s my favorite franchise of all time, and I could read plenty more.

7. Roosevelt’s self-titled debut record

This German disco wunderkind delivered the year’s most carefree album of rump-shaking party jams. Catch him and his crack band’s sweaty live show while you can, before his other career as a DJ blows him up to stadium status.

8. “Stranger Things”

As a Stephen King fanatic, I swooned at this loving tribute to his key ’80s output. Even when the buzz machine got a bit deafening, the glee I first felt watching Jim Hopper sneak around corners, punching anyone he saw, was undeniable. Pure summertime joy.

9. John Oliver and Samantha Bee

When Jon Stewart left the airwaves and Stephen Colbert took a woefully ill-fitting job, John Oliver and Samantha Bee proved they were able to rise above the late night slog. I never thought these two would be heir apparent to “The Daily Show” I knew and loved, but crazier things certainly happened in 2016.

10. Beyoncé’s magnetic “Lemonade” performed live in concert

The film was brilliant enough, but there’s a deeper electricity seeing Beyoncé and her army of backup dancers nailing every passionate step aimed at the patriarchy, haters, and side chicks.

Kate Erbland, Film Editor

1. “Jackie”

Biopics and fact-based features tend to rise to the top by year’s end (hello, awards season), but Pablo Larrain’s inventive and innovative look at the days immediately following JFK’s assassination through the eyes of his widow moves beyond its ostensible genre in every possible way. Star Natalie Portman owns both the film and her role; as Jackie, she is riveting, transformed and utterly without fear. Guided by Larrain’s assured directing, Stephane Fontaine’s gorgeous cinematography and Mica Levi’s original score, “Jackie” is extraordinary filmmaking by every metric. I adore it.

2. “Moonlight”

It is the most lauded film of the year for good reason.

3. “O.J.: Made in America”

I don’t care if it’s a feature film or a miniseries or an event television series, Ezra Edelman’s long-form documentary about the rise (and rise) and fall (and fall) of O.J. Simpson is simply one hell of an accomplishment. (Alternately, it’s the most lauded documentary of the year for good reason.)

4. “La La Land”

Pure delight. (It also gets even better – and richer – with each watch.)

5. “Toni Erdmann”

While some might ding Maren Ade’s Cannes favorite for its extra-long runtime, the uproarious examination of the fraught – and funny – relationship between an out-of-the-box father and his straight-laced daughter earns every minute, if only because every moment with Sandra Huller’s Ines and Peter Simonischek’s Winifred is a true pleasure. I’d watch a six-hour cut of this film, if only to spend more time with these indelible characters.

6. “Manchester by the Sea”

It’s all in the rhythm, as Kenneth Lonergan’s drama gives and takes in equal measure, mixing deep grief with real humor, blending the past and the present, and finding something like grace at the end.

7. “Paterson”

No other film made me as purely happy – dare I say it, as joyful – as Jim Jarmusch’s ode to the everyday.

8. “Kate Plays Christine”

Robert Greene’s remarkable feature blends fact and fiction— and okay, I’ll stop myself right there. Seriously, the clever documentarian’s look at the tragic story of Christine Chubbuck led by the extraordinary Kate Lyn Sheil is an outstanding examination of not just what’s real and what’s fake, but how we find it, understand it and process it. Told through the lens of a tale that would be compelling even with a straightforward telling – it’s a funny coincidence that Antonio Campos’ “Christine” also bowed this year – in the hands of Greene and Sheil, “Kate Plays Christine” transcends.

9. “Pete’s Dragon”

Proof positive that the remake machine is fully capable of turning out touching, special and necessary offerings for all ages. (Also, I cried so much the first time I saw this film that a movie theater usher laughed at me and then apologized when I only cried harder.)

10. “The Innocents”

The term “underseen” might be overused in some circles, but Anne Fontaine’s latest film is unquestionably the one I find myself chatting up the most, typically to movie lovers who previously had no idea it even existed, and that’s a real shame. (The feature debuted at Sundance earlier this year, when it went by the title “Agnus Dei,” which may account for some of the lack of awareness surrounding it.) Based on a true story, it follows a young French Red Cross doctor as she is called to assist a convent of desperate nuns in post-World War II Poland, ultimately offering up one of the year’s most satisfying – and hard-won – depictions of female friendship and maternal devotion.

And while our year-end all-staff top ten lists are always open and available to entertainment and its many forms, there’s only one television series I’d feel compelled to add to my list – mainly because the amount of television I watch compared to films is so small, not as any commentary on the quality of our current television offerings. That is “Westworld,” which I was sold on from the first frame (and the last shot).

Liz Shannon Miller, TV Editor

1. The Opening Sequence of “La La Land”

I’m still a little bit on the fence as to how I feel about Damien Chazelle’s (theoretical) love letter to Los Angeles as a whole, but there was something transformative about the visceral joy of that opening musical number, which transforms an L.A. traffic jam into something magical.

2. The Cubs Win the World Series

As a casual baseball fan (to use the term generously), my usual pattern is to start paying attention at some point mid-September, and to drop out entirely once my team (go Giants!) was out of the race. Thanks to a couple of recent good years for the Giants, I’ve found myself watching more than in the decade prior, but never have I gotten swept up in a sports story like this before. Watching that final game, with the newborn son of a Cubs fan in my arms, was one of the most emotionally intense viewing experiences of the year. Little David will never remember watching the game, but I’ll be able to remember for him.

3. Lin-Manuel Miranda Gets Plastered on “Drunk History”

The creator of “Hamilton” might feel a little over-exposed at this exact moment, but the talented multi-hyphenate made himself vulnerable in a way few other might dare for Derek Waters’ delightful Comedy Central series, narrating the story of Alexander Hamilton while under the influence. Not only did Miranda prove to be a charming, giggly drunk prone to breaking into song at any moment (even crossing to the piano at one point, like the musical theater nerd he is), but Waters made a brilliant choice in calling in Alia Shawkat and Aubrey Plaza to play Hamilton and Burr, not to mention Bokeem Woodbine as George Washington. It’s one of the show’s highest achievements to date — like “Hamilton” the musical, it might just live up to the hype.

4. “O.J. Made in America”

As a professional binge-watcher, the opportunity to see all five episodes during its Tribeca theatrical premiere was mind-blowing and transformative, especially after spending 10 weeks diving deeply into “The People v. O.J. Simpson.” The weight and impact of that trial and the world which led to it has never been more clear. Perhaps we really did need 21 years to fully understand it.

5. “Better Call Saul”

Beautiful in its nuances. Daring in its subtlety. And god, Bob Odenkirk and Michael McKean were good in Season 2.

6. “The Chris Gethard Show” Plays “One Man’s Trash”

Do not spoil yourself for one of the most delightful and absurd episodes of what is already perhaps television’s most delightful and absurd talk show. Just sit back and try, alongside guests Paul Scheer and Jason Mantzoukas, to guess exactly what is in the dumpster that the “CGS” staff has wheeled into the studio. Embrace the journey, and it could be the best 45 minutes of your life.

7. Reading the “Mr. Robot” book “Red Wheelbarrow”

It was 7:30 p.m. at night, about six hours after I thought I’d be done reading the Sam Esmail/Courtney Looney-penned “novel” technically set in between Seasons 1 and 2 of USA’s Emmy-winning drama, that I realized that I might be getting a little bit too into it. Specifically, it was when the office lights shut off while I was double-checking chapter and verse numbers on Bible psalms in order to make sense of one of the book’s embedded puzzles, that I knew I needed to extricate myself from the world into which I’d been drawn. Like the show itself (which featured no shortage of delights this year — ALF!!!!!), there was so much going on with “Red Wheelbarrow” that every moment of discovery was a thrill.

8. MTV’s “Mary + Jane”

It’s unlikely that this particular show will make any of Team TV’s official lists, but while I’m not personally a pot person, I became a really big fan of Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont’s absurd and smart new comedy. Kaplan and Elfont (who memorably wrote and directed the cult delight “Josie and the Pussycats”) have a knack for creating worlds for its shows that feel truly special, and episodes like “Sn**chelorette” proved that female-centered comedy could be as raunchy as dick jokes, with its own special edge. Also yes, it’s executive produced by Snoop Dogg, so it does know its way around weed culture. If that, y’know, matters to you.

9. Campbell Scott on “Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll”

The brilliant absurdity of this Season 2 subplot, for me, justified seasons more of Denis Leary’s FX comedy. Tragically, the show was canceled later this year, and at this moment no video exists online from its penultimate episode, in which Scott (playing a loosely drawn version of himself) stars in a “Hamilton”-inspired musical about the Irish potato famine. But should you ever have a chance to watch it, make a point of it. “Potato!”

10. The “Ballers” Season 2 Finale

All season long, I’d been waiting to see just how hard The Rock was capable of balling. And he blew me away.

Chris O’Falt, Filmmaker Toolkit Editor

Disclaimer: Working with two film critics (Eric and David) who see everything and two writer/editors (Kate and Anne) who see virtually everything, there’s a huge asterisk on a personal top 10 like this. I’m betting I will love “Silence,” “Aquarius,” “De Palma,” “Sunset Song,” “Neon Bull,” “The Red Turtle,” “Everybody Wants Some!!” and many others once I eventually see them.

1. “Moonlight”

​In my life before IndieWire I watched Littles turn into Blacks. What Barry Jenkins captures in this movie has so much emotional truth in it that I have never had a piece of art shake me to my core quite like “Moonlight.” And thank the film gods this isn’t a slice of miserabilist realism. “Moonlight” has been baked with poetry and hope, with a final 25 minutes that transcends plot to become the stuff of a great silent film or opera.

Too often times the yardstick by which indies are measured is how insightful, offbeat, unconventional, progressive, or edgy their scripts can be. This film, like others A24 put out this year, is a not so subtle reminder that the greatness of low budget American movies has always been the bold use of the medium itself.

2. “La La Land”

I don’t think enough has been said about how much Damien Chazelle just fucking went for it with this film. Musicals are like making three films at once — it’s an intense balancing act, which can be incredibly unforgiving to missteps. The margin of error Chazelle was working with is a tiny fraction compared to that of other 2016 filmmakers. And with all due respect to Justin Hurwitz’s songs (which integrate the emotion and narrative beautifully), this film doesn’t have rousing, foot-stomping music to propel the audience past such missteps. Yet, not once does Chazelle take his foot off the gas, and repeat viewings only reveal the layers and intricacies of how he conducted this masterpiece.

3. “Cameraperson”

In a time when the doc community is engaged in a discussion surrounding issues of representation on screen, Kirsten Johnson blindly and bravely dove into the seemingly endless archive of her life behind the camera. Yes, Johnson made this film out of a personal need — triggered by a subject, who out of fear for her safety pulled the plug on a film Johnson was making — but the filmmaking world owes her a debt of gratitude for taking on such honest introspection. Rarely has as essential a film been made in recent memory.

4. “The Witch”

With the exception of Jennifer Kent (“The Babadook”), I can’t think of a modern feature debut by a director who is this in control of the medium. I just wish this early 17th century world — in which fragile male egos blame women, perceived to be witches, for their problems — didn’t feel so relevant today.

5. “Paterson”

For those of us who don’t do yoga and can’t put down our phones long enough to be present in a moment, Jim Jarmusch has broken off a small piece of his soul (don’t worry, he’ll be fine, there’s plenty more where that came from) and made this gift for us, so we too can appreciate the poetry present in everyday life.

6. “Lemonade”

It’s helpful to think of Beyoncé the performer and the public person (which includes what she’s carefully allowed us to see into her private life) as a persona, similar to what a big movie star carries with her when she appears on screen. What’s so insane about “Lemonade” is the revealing, emotional rollercoaster, multi-dimensional, fierce and liberating role Beyonce has created for herself. If you had told me ahead of time she could take the devastation of Jay-Z sleeping with a white girl as a means to take a detour through the poetry of Warsan Shire, the historic struggle of black women, and swung up through post-Katrina New Orleans, well I would have condescendingly laughed. But that’s because I completely underestimated the depth of Beyoncé the artist.

7. “The Handmaiden”

Can a moving camera have a personality? Did it just smile while gorgeously sweeping through this deliciously lush set? If you’ve only watched a clip from Chan-wook Park’s masterpiece you might get the sense this is kitschy fun from a cinema geek with tremendous technical skill. What you’re missing is the work of a uniquely complex and immensely talented artist, who also isn’t afraid to have some fun.

8. “American Honey”

163 minutes of an extremely shaky handheld camera following a crew of young non-professional actors road tripping across America as they sell magazine subscriptions. Just. Shoot. Me. Now… Oh, it’s an Andrea Arnold film? Why didn’t you just say that!

9-13. “Elle,” “Krisha,” “Edge of Seventeen,” “Jackie,” “Toni Erdmann”

Honorable Mention: “Creative Control”

​If director Benjamin Dickinson becomes his generation’s Kubrick, this film is going to look a lot different to us in ten to fifteen years. The black and white, not-so-distant-future world that Dickinson created with limited funds is one of the most visually exciting things I’ve seen this year. He’s also kicking around some big ideas, yet at the end of the day the emptiness of the protagonist left me cold. And no, I don’t always need to be made to feel warm, but after a second viewing I was left wondering if this was an ambitious director a) overshooting his mark, b) still circling a world view, c) feigning deeper meaning, or d) simply shouldn’t have cast himself in the lead role. I haven’t a clue, but I’m terribly anxious to see what he does next.

Honorable Mention: “Pete’s Dragon”

I’m someone who believes in 200 years the golden age of Hollywood will be universally held up as one of the greatest periods of artistic achievement, which is why it seems insane that I can’t find one studio film to make this list. Yet, I want to highlight this gem, which I think points to the hope for the future for studio filmmaking. Empowering (not just giving him the job) a director like David Lowry to find the humanity and magic of a story is what breathes fresh life into old stories. Watching this film with a young child was by far one of the best cinema going experiences of my life.

David Ehrlich, Senior Film Critic

I already enumerated my favorite 25 films of the year (and the most memorable moment of each), but since there’s always more to love about life — especially in 2016, baby! — here are a few other things that I enjoyed about the year that was.

1. The dance that evil Cara Delevinge does during the climax of “Suicide Squad.”

2. When Dinesh D’Souza’s “Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party” ended and I was able to resume living my life.

3. One of the world’s greatest filmmakers (Paul Thomas Anderson) joining forces with the world’s greatest band (Radiohead, obviously) and creating the year’s best music video.

4. The way that Mary Elizabeth Winstead says “what the fuck?” at the end of “Swiss Army Man.”

Both informative and entertaining (banter! games! dramatic readings!). Fully biased because they feature my colleagues and I occasionally guest.

7. Grandmaster Flash imparting the secrets of “The Get Down”

I really had no clue what DJs do, but after watching Flash looping the beat and base line at the Television Critics Association press tour this summer while cracking jokes and instructing TV critics how to do it all, I have a whole new respect for the musicality and coordination required.

8. John Turturro on “The Night Of”

HBO’s anthology crime series was compelling enough for its storytelling, examination of justice and mesmerizing star Riz Ahmed, but John Turturro’s character, low-rent lawyer Jack Stone, made my heart grow three sizes. I was sympathetic to his severe eczema (I know someone with the same condition) and was thrilled with his reluctant but eventual adoption of That Darn Cat. This is the last cat-related item on my list.

9. Revisiting Stars Hollow

I didn’t expect to be that nostalgic for the “Gilmore Girls” revival even though I had seen all of the original series, but there was something special about watching that first episode back at the premiere screening. Maybe it’s because that and the after-party were the most Gilmore-ish things ever: the ultimate theme viewing party that even Lorelai would approve of.

10. All the posters and tag lines for Key & Peele’s cat-tastic “Keanu.”

Ben Travers, TV Critic

Ben approached the assignment as his “best viewing experiences of 2016.”

“10 Cloverfield Lane”March 10, MX Movies, St. Louis, MO

Company counts when it comes to the perfect viewing experience, and I was lucky enough to see this with my lifelong best friend…who also happened to be a “Cloverfield” mega-fan. So not only was watching the film exciting on its own, but the build-up and discussion following pushed it over the edge.

“Everybody Wants Some!!”May 6, Cinemark Playa Vista and XD

On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes you’re just in the mood to go to the movies by yourself. Typically, the films that stand out on these solo excursions are private, intimate affairs, but it’s a testament to Richard Linklater’s rowdy and rousing spiritual sequel to “Dazed and Confused” that I left the theater floating on air, even without a few boisterous pals to split beers with afterward. As is his calling card, Linklater sneaks in a few moving philosophical thoughts, but “Everybody Wants Some!!” rides high on the exclamation points in its title.

“The Lobster”May 13, The Landmark, West LA

Any film fan born far from New York or L.A. who has since moved there did so for one common reason: sitting in a sold-out showing of a hotly-anticipated limited release on opening night. “The Lobster” may not have stormed the country with its bizarre love story / cultural statement, but seeing it with a houseful of like-minded moviegoers made the experience feel all the more universal — and its message all the more haunting.

“The Leftovers” Season 2 Re-WatchMay 16, TV Santa Monica, CA

You don’t have to be in a movie theater to make memories, nor does it even have to be your first time seeing something for it to become your favorite experience with it. This was the case when I cajoled a few close friends into watch “The Leftovers”; their first time, my hundredth (rough estimate). Seeing their reactions, listening to their theories, and having the big, life-changing discussions brought on by Damon Lindelof’s perfect season of television — and maybe live tweeting about it without their knowledge — all made re-watching “The Leftovers” one of the best nights of 2016.

“The Nice Guys”May 29, AMC Santa Monica 7

Themed movie nights are almost always a good idea, especially when fitting the theme takes minimal effort. So to watch Ryan Gosling act drunk and Russell Crowe drunkenly act (both of whom were the perfect shade of charmingly lit), my clever date snuck a thermos of whiskey into the theater. Splitting the bottle in less than two hours proved just the right tonic to pair with “The Nice Guys,” so I say again: company counts.

“BoJack Horseman” Season 3July 6, Private Residence, Sherman Oaks, CA

The best television season of 2016 couldn’t have been hindered by anything, really (other than a slow internet connection), but it was certainly bolstered when watching alongside a fan eager to point out the many, many, many background jokes, pop culture references, and general hysterical mayhem on-screen. Watching this would have been memorable no matter what. Watching with two sets of eyes proved delightful.

“Archer Live!”July 21, A Friggin’ Boat, San Diego, CA

Just when you thought you couldn’t love Adam Reed and his merry cast of troublemakers any more, you get to sit on top of a boat in the San Diego bay and watch them drink heavily, swear at each other, and perform a live read of “Vision Quest.” With surprise cameos and audience participation, the night was like nothing I’d seen before and likely nothing I’ll see again.

“Manchester by the Sea”October 10, Beverly Hills Screening Room

If you’re a morning person, there’s no better time to watch a movie. Sure, the call of the night can lend excitement to a premiere or make for a great date, but with fresh eyes and an alert mind, delving into a weighty drama feels all the more invigorating. And, when the the movie is as melancholic as “Manchester,” it helps to walk out into the sunshine rather than darkness.

Dexter Fowler’s leadoff home run. Kyle Hendricks’ masterful 4 ⅔ innings. Jon Lester in relief. David Ross drilling a home run in his last game. The eighth inning tie. The ninth inning rain delay. The double. The save. Cubs win! Cubs win! It seemed like every Chicagoan living in L.A. on November 2, 2016 was in that bar that night, and I hugged every one of them. How can you not be romantic about baseball?

“Moonlight”November 5, AMC Century City 15

The best film of the year is always an experience like no other. Barry Jenkins’ vision was that and more, transporting you out of the theater and into another world. Enough cannot be written about the power of this film, but I’ll leave it at that. What a year.

Graham Winfrey, Film Reporter

Steve Greene, Special Projects Editor

Sometimes, keeping up with the never-ending programming wave means that watching film and TV can often turn into an exercise. But amidst all the required viewing, there are those electric moments when something crosses your path and you say, “That! We need more of that!”

If 2017 means more things like this on our screens, we might just make it through.

“Atomic Heart”

One of the year’s most criminally overlooked gems. Part parable, part buddy comedy, part existential stage play, Ali Ahmadzade’s “Atomic Heart” is a filmmaking jolt, invigorating and audacious as it hurtles toward its enigmatic endpoint. Driving home after a night of partying, two friends fatefully encounter a mysterious interloper who could be friend, foe or a manifestation of something more all-encompassing. As its characters grapple with the influence of Western culture (in between singing breaks), the deserted, after-hours streets of Tehran become the territory for a battle of hearts and minds. All the bottled-up tension leads to a closing sequence that rivals any of 2016’s other on-screen thrills.

“Catastrophe”

Forgiveness is a tricky thing for a show to truly embrace. As TV starts to wean itself off a dependence on antiheroes who can’t outrun their past, “Catastrophe” feels like a breath of fresh London air. Rob and Sharon are two characters whose life together began under auspicious circumstances, but their tribulations (whether through Season 1’s pregnancy or Season 2’s evolution into marriage and parenthood) always seem to come with a dose of sincere understanding. It’s a balance that seems threatened by the possibilities of a third batch of episodes, but until that comes, we’ll always have a dozen half-hour glimpses into a kind of love that straddles the sweet and the acerbic.

“The Chris Gethard Show”

If this wonderful corner of basic cable was solely the deconstructed talk show that keeps viewers, audiences and in many instances, the title host himself guessing, it would merit attention. But the finely tuned empathy engine that powers the show on a week-to-week basis makes it something truly worth celebrating. An inclusive forum that rejects no participants and embraces its weirdness like a big bear hug, it’s a hub for spontaneity that’s driven by its community of devoted fans. Come for the surprises of Diddy and a dumpster, but leave with a heart full of hope in the magic of a welcoming place.

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”

The existence of a second season’s worth of the ups and downs of Rebecca Bunch prove that there is still good left in this world. Though the new theme song keeps its focus on Rebecca (that post-”Blam!” pause gets longer every time, I swear), the episodes aired throughout 2016 have found ways to enrich the supporting cast in increasingly entertaining ways. From “Having a Few People Over” and “Greg’s Drinking Song,” the show’s musical numbers prove that insight and absurdity aren’t mutually exclusive. This version of West Covina is filled with Spice Girls riffs and Burning Man send-ups, but it’s fueled by the core understanding that we’re all complicated people trying to get by, however we can.

“Embrace of the Serpent”

A beautiful and frightening testament to human nature. Ciro Guerra’s generational portrait outlines the consequences of miscommunication as clearly as the glass-smooth surface of the Amazon. Even as it hops between periods in one man’s life, it manages to stay sharply fixed on the ways in which we selectively learn from the past. Faith, knowledge and the fate of our planet all seem to hang in the balance of a single person’s story, daring us to listen closer.

“Fleabag”

Is there a show on TV with better timing than this one? The perfectly calibrated agonizing pauses, the knowing, wordless glances into the camera, all funneled through a view of life in London that couldn’t come from anywhere else. Phoebe Waller-Bridge earns so much immediate trust as a storyteller, through her performance and her writing, that it’s impossible to object to where the title character takes us. Grief, sisterhood, and the trials of an ever-shifting dating landscape are all singularly wrapped up in a six-episode run that feels as alive as anything else on either side of the Atlantic.

“Full Frontal”

In an election cycle that confounded most of the country’s finest TV comedians, Samantha Bee brought a laser-focused dose of anger to the conversation. While other late-night hosts sought to glaze over each troubling development of national and world news, Bee voiced the anxieties of a number of groups and communities who were drowned out by the never-ending cacophony of bluster. The national conversation was derailed so many times this year, but “Full Frontal” showed a vital pathway to keep a watchful eye on the blind conductors and the faulty tracks.

“Green Room”

On the heels of his low-key revenge thriller “Blue Ruin,” Jeremy Saulnier seems determined to bring impeccably crafted tension to every stop along the color wheel, sparing no fingernails in the process. Like Saulnier’s previous film, “Green Room” is a tale about how we process rage in America, whether it’s institutionally bred, festering quietly for years on end, or borne from the horrors of the moment. Despite its cavalcade of dark turns, there’s a note of resilience at its conclusion that lets a glimmer of hope shine through, however faint.

“Krisha”

Few filmmakers made quite the statement with their debut feature efforts this year as Trey Edward Shults, whose Thanksgiving ballet “Krisha” is a feast for the eyes. Gliding through a carefully choreographed family reunion with Krisha Fairchild at its center, you can feel the history vibrating through every conversation. It’s a portrait made with such care that you can’t help but be eager to see what comes next — not just for this fictionalized family, but for the aunt/nephew star/director powering it along.

“Men Go to Battle”

Further proof that history isn’t meant to be told with the expectations of the present. Following two brothers tested and separated by the Civil War, there’s an authenticity of emotion that matches its period details. Against the backdrop of national conflict, the tiny triumphs and moments of understanding between its sparse collection of characters become the building blocks of a quiet story. It’s a beautiful tribute to members of divided houses, in all their forms.

Zack Sharf, Social Media Editor

There’s still a lot of movies and television I need to catch up on before I can confidently put together real top 10 lists of 2016. But I already know the five things I loved most this year, the things that truly reaffirmed my love for movies and television and brought my body and soul into a state of nirvana. That’s not hyperbole, and here they are:

1. “The Girlfriend Experience” Season 1 Finale

This is the most audacious and daring 30-minutes of television I have ever seen. That’s a big statement, yes, but if you watched “The Girlfriend Experience” (which, frankly, a lot more people need to do), you’ll know exactly what I mean. A normal finale would tie-up lose ends and story threads, but showrunners Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz did something completely different. They introduced new characters and a new story, dropping their protagonist into a situation we had never seen her before without any explanation whatsoever. In throwing viewers for a loop, they forced us to reckon with the full extent of the character’s season-long transformation, and it was a jaw-dropper like no other.

2. “Moonlight” Act III

What “Moonlight” achieves in its final act, titled “Black,” is something I’ve never felt while watching a movie or television show. Chiron’s entire life has built up to this one moment. He can no longer outrun his life or his identity. He must come to terms with who he is. No more pretending. The entire film and the character’s entire life builds to this one single moment of self-realization, and it’s a heart-in-your-throat discovery that leaves you completely knocked off your feet. Jenkins makes you feel the enormous weight of admitting to yourself what you’ve become and who you want to be, with all the pain it takes to reach that moment and the rush of freedom that comes flooding in after it. That’s why “Moonlight” is a landmark.

3. “Toni Erdmann” – “Greatest Love Of All” Karaoke Scene

Maren Ade’s “Toni Erdmann” is my favorite film of 2016. A love letter to the ways we use humor to connect and defend ourselves from the truth, it culminates in what has got to be the most transcendent film moment of the year: A show-stopping karaoke rendition of Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love Of All.” To spoil how this comes about and why would be criminal, but just know it’ll leave you on your feet in thunderous applause. You won’t have a choice.

4. BoJack Horseman, “Fish Out Of Water”

This near-silent episode of Netflix’s brilliant comedy series is going to top many of the best episodes of 2016 lists you see this year, and for good reason. The episode doesn’t just salute the great silent storytellers of cinema (it mixes the madcap energy of Buster Keaton with the beating heart of Charlie Chaplin), but it uses its silence as a way to further break down BoJack’s self-sabatoging ego. You don’t need dialogue to make a masterpiece.

5. The World-Building of “The Lobster”

“The Lobster” is memorable for a lot of things (Colin Farrell’s gut, anyone?), but I’ll never forget watching it for the first time and being utterly transfixed by its world building. Yorgos Lanthimos very carefully reveals his cards, gradually giving the viewer more information to process but never through exposition. We learn how this world works in ways that are funny, shocking and heartbreaking. If only every script trusted the audience this much.

Jude Dry, Digital Media Critic

1. “Moonlight”

It’s hard to know what to say about “Moonlight.” Of course, it is a brilliant and beautiful movie made by an indie filmmaker about a fairly taboo subject. But what’s most heartening about its success is that this is not tokenism or some reaction to controversy over that other black film. “Moonlight” stands on its own as a cinematic achievement of unparalleled proportions. That it happens to check some boxes Hollywood has left empty for far too long is just gravy.

2. The first episode of “Transparent,” Season 3

In the words of creator Jill Soloway as told to IndieWire, she “wanted wanted the episode to feel like we were throwing down a gauntlet,” and she succeeded. Rather than check back in with all of the Pfefferman clan, Soloway focuses only on Maura in the first episode, and sends her on a misguided adventure to a mall in downtown Los Angeles, looking for a trans girl she spoke to while volunteering at a suicide hotline. When Maura finds Elizah, a trans woman of color, she reaches out to her, saying “I’m like you,” but Elizah just stares back at her as she would any other stranger. She’s not like Elizah, she’s white, and Elizah doesn’t need her help. The rest of the season may have shied away from such important questions, but Soloway showed her willingness to respond to critics who say Maura, and by extension Soloway, is out of touch.

3. The dark humor of “The Handmaiden”

Park Chan-Wook’s adaptation of Sarah Waters’ novel “Fingersmith” was one of the most visually stunning and titillating films of the year. Between the music, costumes, sets, acting and cinematography capturing it all, watching it on the big screen is like immersing your senses in a warm bubble bath massage, happy ending included. Despite its twisted tale, “The Handmaiden” has moments of devilish levity, such as a physical gag involving a hanging, that Chan-Wook weaves seamlessly into the mystery.

4. “High Maintenance” episode “Grandpa,” AKA the dog episode

When creators Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld transferred their hit web series to HBO, fans were understandably skeptical that a show which surprised at every turn could maintain that ingenuity in the half-hour sitcom format. Not only did they succeed at telling New York stories that felt routine and understated as well as incredibly vital and human, but with “Grandpa” they proved that playing with expectations is what they do best, whether on Vimeo or HBO. A love story told from the perspective of a dog named Gatsby, without any talking dog tricks or suspension of belief, Sinclair and Blichfeld kept viewers on their toes and incredibly moved, as they do.

In the first year that the Emmys acknowledged excellence in short form series, otherwise known as web series, the only independently produced show to receive a nod as best series was a well-crafted drama made by and about transgender women. The Emmy nod brought much-deserved recognition to creator and star Jen Richards, who moved to Los Angeles on the advice of Jill Soloway, and Angelica Ross, her african american co-star who is on track to become the next Laverne Cox. In a climate where cisgender actor Matt Bomer can still be cast to play a trans woman with relatively little blowback, the Emmy nomination for “Her Story” marks a huge milestone in transgender representation in Hollywood.

Bill Desowitz, Crafts Editor

It was a year when the movies tried to unite us and teach us more about empathy. (Unnumbered)

Tom Brueggemann, Box Office Reporter

In a difficult year, film struggled to keep relevant and vital against both external events and the question of whether it remains the most vital narrative visual medium. These films stand out among a range of other nearly equal ones in vitality.

Many of the most interesting films involved directors going outside their worlds, whether national or personal, to provide fresh points of views on familiar stories. In a year where tribalism on all sides and celebration of self and those like us was central, the best films showed a greater interest in more than just validating existing beliefs. At a time when film is no longer as central to our culture as in the past, some directors refuse to concede their ground.

In no particular order, these are ten films that among those that give me hope for the future:

“O.J.: Made in America”

The creative “La La Land” may define Los Angeles for moviegoers for a while, but this over-seven-hour-long documentary reflects better the day to day tensions at work for many of its residents. Among several superior films about race relations in America, this stands out for its discomfort factor as well as its fresh look at very familiar material. A tragedy, but its willingness to question preconceived notions on all sides provides a needed service.

“Allied”

America’s most undervalued mass audience director continues his recent resurgence (along with “Flight” and “The Walk”) with his gloriously ridiculous homage to World War 2 spy and romance films. No big scale director at work today is more at ease with his craft, with his earlier foray into animation liberating him to play even more with live action film. After “The Walk,” which seemed to use the high wire as a metaphor for directing (including its inherent obsessive insanity as a central element), Zemeckis tempts fate by rearranging history (the Blitz took place two years before its placement here), upending logical behavior, and tempting audiences to relive an era where charismatic stars use their appeal to give credibility to their characters. The best film of its kind since “Titanic.”

“No Home Movie”

The hope found in this documentary (the director engages her elderly mother in discussions of her experiences in the Holocaust) is perhaps belied by Akerman’s apparent suicide not long after. It will take some more time after her death to place this in the context of her brilliant career. The key word though is home, a central concept here as much as in her greatest work “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Bruxelles.” She is away from her own home much of the time, remotely communicating via Skype, yet creates something that resonates intimacy, sometimes searing.

“American Honey”

Andrea Arnold plays with the road movie, a quintessentially American cinematic genre, with British eyes and a female lead character, but also atypically with no clear destination or goal. It could have been a grim, tragic saga, but Star, the 18-year-old lead character here, in the middle of going nowhere manages to find her way, or at least her own internal Waze. This should be essential viewing for those struggling to gain a perspective on a disaffected working class generation, who no longer expect a life better than their parents.

“Moonlight”

Somehow managing to justify praise that would doom most films, this stood out as the rare American independent film that does more than just recreate its maker’s own world. Barry Jenkins accomplishes what Ang Lee failed to fully do with “Brokeback Mountain” — capture the struggle of a gay male in an unwelcoming community. But unlike that landmark film, it is about much more in its depiction of growing up with a troubled African-American mother in an economically deprived Miami neighborhood. Arguably the most accomplished American independent film since David Gordon Green’s “George Washington,” with which it shares a youthful hero and glorious, assured widescreen visuals set in the South. For those coming to it late after its overwhelming praise, it rewards a second viewing with a depth and resonance that its initial surface pleasures and episodic nature hide.

“Paterson”

The best American indie director since John Cassevetes returns to form with “Paterson.” Adam Driver plays New Jersey Transit bus driver married to a woman named Laura who bakes cupcakes (who with no hint of anything unusual is played by a leading Iranian actress.) Paterson (his name and where he lives) lives a life of quiet inspiration as he dabbles in poetry shared only with his wife. This is a quiet film, even by Jarmusch’s standards, yet despite the absence of the sturm und drang in its contemporary urban setting, it feels like a time capsule of its time as much as Jarmusch’s seminal “Stranger Than Paradise” — and otherwise its equal. It includes a minor tragedy that is as sad as any event seen this year, but his ability to recover gives hope in a world that seems bleak at the moment.

“The Fits”

This discovery out of heartland cinema (filmed in Cincinnati) was blessed by the revelatory wonderfully named Royalty Hightower. She plays an 11-year-old boxing trainee who shifts her interest to a dance team and choreography after seeing some older girls practice. In a year of elevated female roles, few have the grace and the grit that Toni here does, as she enters a new world with plenty of mystery, both normal for an ambitious girl her age and mysterious. (The fits are a form of mass hysteria that afflicts the team.) This gem stands far above most independent efforts and is the best debut feature of the year.

“Cemetery of Splendor”

Not quite at the level of Weerasethukal’s earlier great films, but still a major work from this master. As with all his films, it defies capsule analysis. Set in a northern Thai military field hospital where patients are beset with narcolepsy, the fact that it is set atop of royal cemetery adds to the intrigue. Its availability on Netflix after its minimal release, to be seen by potentially far more than Weerasethukal’s previous films, is a reason to celebrate this powerful but seemingly random outlet.

“Hell or High Water”

Perhaps the most traditional “American” film on this list was directed by the British John Mackenzie, working in the States for the first time. With a terrific script from Taylor Sheridan (“Sicario”) it melds classic Western tropes (bank robbers, a charismatic sheriff, revenge) in a contemporary Texas where banks have become an existential threat as much as a place to rob. It smartly but subtly alludes to two key Texas classics — “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Last Picture Show” (Archer City, where the latter was filmed, gets a passing mention). And it uses its superb ensemble cast (led by Jeff Bridges, once again showing why he is the best American actor working today) to balance contemporary and retro touchstones.

“Toni Erdmann”

This is a monumental effort, both as a comedy of extraordinary length (162 minutes) and dramatic depth. A globe-trotting German executive is in Bucharest, Romania. Those familiar with home grown movies made there won’t recognize it, a sign of how the multinational world is destroying distinctive individuality). She has to deal with her increasingly out of control retired father who shows up unexpectedly, taking on the persona of a tycoon. This amazing film has moments reminiscent of Chaplin, Tati and Blake Edwards, including the deep humanity and pathos that make the comedy more painful.

Special Mention:

When was the last time a director had three films released in a single year, much less three worthy ones? Pablo Larrain accomplished this with his multiple and distinctive Chilean produced efforts. “Jackie” is by far the best known, but his locally-set “Neruda” was equally imaginative and original. And for me, the best of them was the barely released “The Club.” This Bunuel-ian tale of a remote bleak seacoast home for pedophile and other outcast priests was discarded by producer 20th Century Fox after it failed to make the Oscar Foreign Language cut, only getting a token release. Perhaps its overlap with “Spotlight” made it seemed like used goods, but its devilish and nonjudgmental look at a group of clueless souls and the former nun who rules their world deserved a better fate and is worth seeking out.

Each season of “Mozart in the Jungle” begins with something new — specifically, the opening sequence, which has gotten a regular refresh every year. But while each is beautiful in its own way, the theme song never changes. And that feels entirely correct for the Golden Globe-winning series, which in its third season remains unafraid of trying new things, but in the end rarely changes.

Tracking a group of professional musicians as they strive to create art and make a living, “Mozart” has always been an extraordinarily pleasant show, with intricate plotting taking a very deliberate back seat to quirky vignettes and extended sequences entirely dedicated to performance and creation.

Season 3 begins with our best-known members of the New York Symphony Orchestra somewhat scattered to the winds, due to contract negotiations and the need to find work elsewhere. Elsewhere in this case includes Venice, Italy, where Hailey (Lola Kirke) finds herself assisting Rodrigo (Gael Garcia Bernal) with a new ambitious piece featuring a legendary opera singer (Monica Bellucci, who really should be in more things). Meanwhile, Gloria (Bernadette Peters) tries to hold the business of the Symphony together, as Thomas (Malcolm McDowell) explores new opportunities and Cynthia (Saffron Burrows) continues to advocate for the now out-of-work players.

Just because the symphony is shut down doesn’t mean “Mozart” lacks in the beautiful music that’s always been a massive part of the series. (As always, the focus is on classical, but unafraid of modern twists and new genres, including a notable trip down EDM lane.)

The beauty goes beyond the auditory: The early episodes were shot on location in Venice, and it’s truly stunning to see what the production was able to stage in the piazzas and canals of that extraordinary city. And unexpectedly, the series tops that achievement with its breakout installment: Episode 7, a faux documentary written and directed by Roman Coppola, was shot on 16mm color film in Rikers Island penitentiary, and is a weird, but stunning, bit of filmmaking that functions as a stand-alone piece, but also serves as an essential part of the narrative.

There’s a lot that makes “Mozart” special, to be honest, including the stable of actors who make up its ensemble. In particular, Malcolm McDowell remains an absolute delight, defying decades worth of iconically villainous roles to play a man still capable and open to discovering new experiences in his 70s. Bernadette Peters has more class than an entire symphony audience, and there are many guest stars from the over-40 set who prove extraordinary.

“Mozart” is a show about people who may drive each other crazy, but all genuinely love the same thing, which makes it decidedly easy to like. That said, for some reason it always takes real nudging to engage with it, in part because that same pleasant energy doesn’t include the same sort of urgent drive that leads to addictive viewing.

In addition, the writing in general isn’t immune to cliches and expected outcomes (I am officially obligated to deduct a few points for a “He’s right behind me, isn’t he?” scene, as well as the schoolyard taunt “Yo-Yo Ma? Yo mama!”). And sometimes, there are odd vignettes and sidebars that feel included for the sake of random oddness. It’s a show we should all be genuinely grateful is 30 minutes an episode because, after three seasons, I feel confident saying that if it were an hour long, that’d kill it.

Really, there’s much to the alchemy of what makes “Mozart” work that has a sense of fragility to it. Of all the visual metaphors to float up unexpectedly in Season 3, the most prominent one is that of bubbles. Beautiful, light, and delicate, even in their growing complexity, we watch them float across the screen. Watching the show brings with it the same emotions: knowing that there’s something beautiful happening, something that’s always on the verge of falling apart. And perhaps that’s what holds us back a bit from truly engaging: We don’t want to get our hearts broken.

“MythBusters” fans can now get their Build Team fix on with Netflix’s new series “White Rabbit Project,” which continues the trio’s science-entertainment adventures just in time for the holidays. It’s the kind of amusing show that you can co-view with your older/younger/dyspeptic family member with whom you may not have the best conversations, sans the unifying aid of TV.

Tory Belleci, Kari Byron, and Grant Imahara are back in fine form and as charismatic as ever, getting a strong introduction thanks to a snappy synth theme song. Unfortunately, the overall formula for the series is difficult to pull off. We don’t envy whoever had to conceive of a new science-based show to succeed “MythBusters,” which arguably had one of the simplest and yet satisfying premises in this genre: to see if certain urban myths or popularly held beliefs actually tested true in real life. Armed with a concrete result, one could then decide with full knowledge whether or not to risk consuming carbonated soda and Mentos in one sitting.

“White Rabbit Project,” however, is unconvincing in its purpose, which is to take a topic and “go down the rabbit hole” to investigate six methods of said topic and test them through builds and other experiments. Why six? Who knows? In the pilot, the only episode provided to press in advance for review, the team takes the topic “jailbreak” and proceeds to look at six different historical jailbreaks. Future topics to be examined — “superpower technology, heists, and crazy World War II weapons” — seem promising enough, and the historical aspect will appeal to history buffs.

After examining these topics, the team then scores and ranks their methods… just ‘cause. What does a No. 1 jailbreak mean? There really are no stakes for the results, and this manufactured smackdown makes for some uneven content to fill the approximately 44 minutes of programming.

Each of the historical jailbreaks that were highlighted got a different kind of dramatic reenactment, which would vary from incredibly cheesy to more elaborate and serious. From these alone, it was clear which ones would rank lower. While the goofy reenactments provided some lighthearted entertainment, they were drawn out far too long and felt like padding.

On the flip side, the more intricate and challenging jailbreaks, some with archival footage, were fascinating. In fact, one of these inspired the pyro-loving Belleci to re-create and test out the method of escape himself. Mixing demonstrable science and “stranger than fiction” scenarios like these are the show’s strengths.

The only odd note in reexamining history in this context, i.e. jailbreaks, was that there are some criminal or humanitarian aspects that had to be glossed over or outright ignored in the name of entertainment. It caused a couple uncomfortable moments while viewing.

We hope that in the spirit of the scientific method, the production continues to experiment with the show’s formula — because right now it needs some healthy troubleshooting and streamlining to make it more cohesive. More of that meaty content, please, in addition to more moments of the team members interacting. That’s another instance in which the hosts shine, because we’d like to think we all could hang out with them as friends.

The outlet reports that Rossum, who quickly emerged as the leading lady of the Showtime series — first launched in 2011 as an American-ized version of the popular UK series of the same name — is not only “seeking salary parity with co-star William H. Macy…she is taking the position she should be paid more per-episode than Macy makes after years of earning much less than her Emmy-nominated co-star.”

In the series, Macy stars as the perpetually drunk and absent Frank Gallagher, while Rossum plays his eldest daughter Fiona, who essentially functions as the matriarch of the rest of the Gallagher clan while Frank gallivants around Chicago. In the UK version of the series, the Fiona character (played by Anne-Marie Duff) was only a regular during the show’s first two seasons, while Rossum has long been the full female lead of the show.

As THR notes, “The cast’s last renegotiation a few years ago gave raises to all the main members of the ensemble. But Macy, who came into ‘Shameless’ with an extensive film resume and an Oscar nomination for his role in ‘Fargo,’ always has been paid more than the rest of the cast.” Additionally, Macy has a number of awards nods under his belt, including three best actor in a comedy series Emmy nominations, a Critics Choice drama actor nomination, a Golden Globe comedy actor nomination and two SAG comedy actor nominations (including one win). Rossum has been nominated for two Critics Choice awards for her work on the show.

Yet Rossum’s dedication to the show is clear and her desire to grow within it made plain. In the current, still-airing seventh season, Rossum made her directorial debut on the episode “I Am A Storm.”

The outlet also shares that “if Rossum closes her deal, producer WBTV then will renegotiate with the remainder of the cast, including Jeremy Allen White (Lip), Cameron Monaghan (Ian) and Steve Howey (Kevin).”

And, in bad news to both Rossum and “Shameless” fans, “if she can’t close a deal, Showtime could choose to renew the show without her or cancel it.”

“The Exorcist” creator Jeremy Slater recently told Variety that depicting sexual assault for shock value was “a plague on the industry.” Slater added that while reading more than 200 script submissions for his new show, he came to a startling discovery. “I would say out of those 200 scripts, there were probably 30 or 40 of them that opened with a rape or had a pretty savage rape at some point,” he told Variety.

HBO’s “Game Of Thrones” has attracted criticism for using rape as a device for shock value, specifically for showing it from the point of view of a male character who is forced to watch the assault.

“A guy actually came back at me and said ‘Fine, would you rather have seen [it from Sansa’s point of view]’?” a female writer recently told Variety. “I said yes, actually. If you’re going to do it, show it, and show it from the P.O.V. from the woman, and don’t use it as a way to motivate a male character.”

Never before have there been this many TV shows on the air — or online — which means it’s never been harder to get an audience to notice one show. Take it from Sarah Jessica Parker: She knows a thing or two about breaking through to a key audience, and she had this to say about it earlier this year:

“In a crowded field of really incredible programming, how do you call attention to yourself but not tell a story to call attention to yourself?” Parker said. “You have to get eyeballs, [but] you can’t try to be controversial or be provocative just so people watch. You have to tell the story you believe in and hope that somehow you get a commitment from someone — at least one time — and you better be deserving of those 30 minutes you’re getting because they could choose anything.”

This is the challenge facing marketing departments across the TV world, and the above gallery of posters represents a select few who went above and beyond to get their shows noticed. Without betraying the soul of their shows or stooping too low in appealing to easy eye-grabbers, these posters represent artistic efforts worthy of — or better than — the shows they’re pushing.

Visit the gallery to check out the best of the best, or click here to reach the page.

This year has been filled with many great new television series such as “Stranger Things” and “Westworld.” Aside from the new storylines and characters that we get introduced to, many of these episodes come with unexpected GIFable moments that soon become part of our daily lives and add humor to our conversations.

To wrap up the year, GIPHY put together a list of the most viewed GIFS from the top television shows, which include the aforementioned series, as well as “The X-Files,” “Atlanta” and a perfect crying GIF from “Bachelor in Paradise.” Another great GIF that also made it on the list is the moment when Leonardo DiCaprio got spooked by Lady Gaga when she was headed to the stage to receive her first Golden Globe award at the 73rd annual ceremony.

For its final show of the year, the Mondo Gallery will present “A-Nick-Nick-Nick-Nick-N-Nick-Nick-Nick Nickelodeon Show.” As impressive as the posters on display — two of which, Sachin Teng’s “TMNT” print and Janice Chu’s new art for “SpongeBob SquarePants,” have been shared exclusively with IndieWire (below) — is the fact that they actually got the correct number of “Nicks” from that famous ’90s jingle. The show begins this Friday, December 9 and runs until the 17th.

“Nickelodeon was a huge part of my childhood,” says Mondo creative director Mitch Putnam in a statement. “It represented everything cool and rebellious, and parents didn’t know anything about it. We worked with a number of great artists to pay homage to some of the channel’s most influential programming.”

Damien Chazelle’s new film “La La Land” opens in New York and Los Angeles tomorrow, December 9, and thus, the stars of the film are making the rounds on late night television. Emma Stone hosted “Saturday Night Live” last week and last night, Ryan Gosling went on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to channel the romantic energy he utilized in “La La Land” to teach Kimmel how to waltz. Though he says he has forgotten most of the dances in the film, he remembers this one. Watch the segment below.

Since its premiere, “La La Land” has wracked up critical acclaim from festivals and various critics groups. Emma Stone won Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival and the New York Critics Circle and the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association awarded it Best Film.

Gosling was previously nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the 2006 film “Half Nelson.” Gosling and Stone have appeared as love interests in two films prior to “La La Land”: “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “Gangster Squad.”

“La La Land” made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival this past August before screening at the Toronto Film Festival, the London Film festival, AFI Fest and more. It will open on the coasts tomorrow before expanding to additional cities on December 16 and then nationwide on January 6.

Season 1 of “Westworld” may be over but now fans of the HBO series can sit back and relax to the buzzy tunes of the show’s soundtrack. Released this week by WaterTower Music, the album features 34 songs from composer Ramin Djawadi, as well as the previous covers included in the EP like Radiohead’s “No Surprises,” Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” and the Cure’s “A Forest.”

Additionally, new covers from the last half of the season include Djawadi’s interpretations of “Fake Plastic Trees” by The Bends, OK Computer’s “Exit Music (For a Film),” Nine Inch Nails’ “Something I Can Never Have,” Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” and the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun.”

The sci-fi western series had been known for using a new piano cover of a famous rock band song to add an extra layer to the plot. In an interview with Pitchfork, Djawadi expressed how the renditions worked perfectly for the series.

“I think it’s a great fit. Like with ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ [by Radiohead] – even if you just take the title — with ‘Westworld,’ what is real? What is not real? You can interpret it in many ways,” the composer expressed. “What I love about that is it just comes out of nowhere and you don’t expect it at all. You see the settings and the way people are dressed and even though you know it’s robots and it’s all made to be modern entertainment, you would think the people in control would make everything authentic, including whatever is played on that player piano. It would be from that time period. And when it’s not, it’s that subtle reminder that, ‘Wait, there is something not right. This is not real.’ It’s just such a powerful tool that only music can do.”

Riz Ahmed, “The Night Of”

The British actor had a small role in “Nightcrawler” on the big screen, but he makes a huge splash on HBO’s anthology drama as Nasir “Naz” Khan, the young man whose night out with a captivating woman goes awry when he discovers her stabbed and he’s accused of her murder. Ahmed is hypnotic in his stillness and silences, but one look at his expressive eyes, and it’s clear that Naz is taking everything in as he learns to navigate the world of prison politics and legal strategy. One can’t help to root for him because he’s clearly innocent… isn’t he? Therein lies Ahmed’s genius, his ability to play both sides so that the viewer oscillates between sympathy and dread that we have gotten it wrong. We can’t wait to see what he does in the Star Wars universe for “Rogue One.”

Kyle Allen, “The Path”

It’s never easy to play a teenager. It’s even harder to play one when you’re surrounded by adults. Budding adolescence brings with it a flourish of ever-changing emotions, making it easy for an audience to dislike “that crazy hormonal teen.” Overcoming these challenges alone makes Allen’s breakthrough performance exactly that: a revelation specific to finding another great actor among a pack of established legends. Aaron Paul, Michelle Monaghan, and Hugh Dancy have already left their mark on television (and continue to do so), but Allen walked the line between the odd kid out at public school and an authentic teen trying to figure his life out in a complicated (and isolated) world. Oh, and for another wrench in the wheels, he’s playing a Meyerist, a cult / movement that worships an all-seeing eye and has high goals of climbing a ladder to the heavens. All in all, Allen makes weird look wonderful.

Desmin Borges, “You’re the Worst”

It’s not that we didn’t take note of Borges’ comedic timing and talent in the first two seasons of “You’re the Worst,” but Season 3 gave him a broader platform than ever, and boy, did he ever own it. Creator Stephen Falk tackled PTSD head on this year, tracking Edgar, Borges’ army veteran, as he struggled to adapt to a new relationship and old trauma. The sobering half-hour dedicated solely to Borges’ story, “Twenty-Two,” was a standout episode, and the series regular more than made up for the absence of his three top-tier co-stars. Borges embodies Edgar with a sense of optimism, openness, and earnestness, all of which are unique to him among the ensemble. He handles the balance within Edgar and between the cast impeccably, but it was his authentic shifts between fear, anger, and innocence that made us see Borges in a whole new light.

Millie Bobby Brown, “Stranger Things”

If you left your house on Halloween night, then you probably saw more than one girl (or boy) wearing a pink dress, blue windbreaker, and knee-high socks, while carrying around a box of Eggo waffles. But while the character of Eleven from Netflix’s “Stranger Things” proved to be iconic, it was relative newcomer Millie Bobby Brown’s extraordinarily committed performance that kept the character feeling grounded and human (despite her special powers). To truly appreciate her commitment, let’s remember that this 12-year-old girl, on the cusp of adolescence, was asked to shave her head — something which she ultimately told IndieWire was empowering, if only because it made her look like Furiosa from “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The girl seems more than game for what lies ahead; we’re looking forward to seeing her next move.

When Dan Fogelman was casting NBC’s “This Is Us,” it was before FX’s “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story” had premiered. Fogelman cast Sterling K. Brown as Randall, not quite realizing that he had hit pay dirt: Brown was about to make a name for himself as Christopher Darden, opposite Sarah Paulson’s Marcia Clark, on the smash miniseries. Fogelman said “This Is Us” directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, who had just worked with Brown on the feature “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” recommended the actor for the role. “I met Sterling, and wanted him for this [as well],” Fogelman said. “As luck would have it, Sterling had ‘OJ’ in the can at the same studio but no one had seen it yet,” so that when Fogelman suggested Brown for the role, executives didn’t even hesitate. “They were like, ‘Done! We love it!’ We were blessed.” “This Is Us” is the biggest new hit of the fall, giving Brown another hit program this year on top of “People v. OJ,” which earned him a Primetime Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a limited series or movie.

Brian Tyree Henry, “Atlanta”

Donald Glover gets most of the (deserved) accolades for FX’s “Atlanta,” but the show’s quiet weapon in Season 1 was really Brian Tyree Henry. As aspiring rapper Paper Boi (a.k.a. Alfred Miles), Henry managed to convey so much with just subtle glances and simple gestures, often reacting to the absurdity surrounding him – be it “Justin Bieber” or a hanger-on attempting to make a name for himself by trashing Paper Boi on YouTube. Although “Atlanta” is mostly told from the perspective of Earn (Glover), some of the show’s most memorable moments come when Paper Boi attempts to fit in or just tries to do the right thing, which is directly at odds with his public gangsta persona. Henry’s big year also included three episodes on HBO’s “Vice Principals.”

William Jackson Harper, “The Good Place”

As Chidi, the brilliant ethics professor whose life on Earth was flawless enough to send him to Heaven honestly, William Jackson Harper’s role could be relatively thankless – a lesser show might find him stuck as a combination straight man/wet blanket. But through a combination of sharp timing and pure likability, Chidi might be the most sympathetic character on the show. Harper isn’t the only unknown who shines in the ensemble: Let’s quickly shout out D’Arcy James as Janet, who was a serious contender for this list, and whose comedic timing and range quickly made her a favorite of ours. But Harper’s ability to communicate his anxiety over helping Eleanor (Kristen Bell) not get banished to the Bad Place is one of those moments that brings real emotional edge to key moments. When you see “The Good Place” from his point of view, you realize that the show’s a whole lot more than just a comedy.

John Early, “Search Party”

Early is a comedian who clearly knows how to craft a character, especially one who is painted in such bold strokes as Elliot. Elliot initially comes off as a self-involved narcissist… and continues to be throughout the series. Yet Early is able to impart a sweet-natured humor and humanity to Elliot that makes it hard to completely hate him for name-dropping at every opportunity. Early also brings out that childlike innocence in his character that makes him forgivable for the time being. With the backdrop of a missing-persons mystery, a bizarre cult and possible murder in the air, Elliot is both a lighthearted and grounding presence.

Martha Kelly, “Baskets”

In Zach Galifianakis’ FX comedy, Martha Kelly plays a character named Martha. Combined with the fact she was relatively unknown to the TV masses before “Baskets,” it would be easy to assume one Martha matches the other. And though the relationship between Chip Baskets the clown and Martha the insurance agent/salesman is inspired by the dynamic formed between the actors upon first meeting, Kelly’s natural charms can distract from her nuanced term. Her timing is impeccable. Her expressions are subtle. Her understanding is thorough. We can’t wait to see what non-Martha character she plays next.

Riley Keough, “The Girlfriend Experience”

Fun fact: Elvis Presley’s grandkid, when given the opportunity, is a hell of an actor. Keough had done some intriguing work in previous years, including notably as Capable, one of the wives fleeing Immortan Joe in “Mad Max: Fury Road” (the red-headed one who grows close to Nux, played by Nicholas Hoult). But few actors find themselves with the challenge that Starz’s anthology series about the lives of sex workers provided, as writer/directors Amy Seimetz and Lodge Kerrigan made the series an eight-episode exploration of Christine’s inner self. Fortunately, Keough brought with her an icy fierceness that made her a captivating force on screen, a star-making performance that didn’t care if we liked it or not. (We did.)

Mikey Madison, Hannah Alligood and Olivia Edward, “Better Things”

For a show so close to Pamela Adlon’s heart as a single mom of three girls, it’s fitting that those fictional counterparts be as vibrant and fully realized as her real-life daughters. As the eldest teenager Max, Madison balances defiance and ennui with just the right amount of vulnerability and innocence. Alligood gives middle child Frankie mischief, a child clearly too smart for her own good and taken with thoughts bigger than her tender years. Finally Edward imbues Duke with a bit of the devil and genuine joy. “Better Things” found three young women who are consistently delightful and honest in their portrayals. There’s a certain slouchy casualness to how they appear when they’re not speaking, and their onscreen sibling interactions are as annoyed and comfortable as with any real blood relative. Don’t be surprised if your parental instincts kick in and you choose a new favorite from episode to episode.

Claudia O’Doherty, “Love”

Making her entrance relatively quietly in the Judd Apatow/Paul Rust/Lesley Arfin comedy series “Love,” O’Doherty soon became endemic of the show’s deeply hidden but vulnerable heart. As Bertie, the cheery-natured roommate of Mickey (Gillian Jacobs), it was easy to see her as simply a happy Australian with an uncanny ability to hold her liquor. But in Episode 5, “The Date,” Gus attempts to take her out for dinner, and the evening goes nuclear thanks to Mickey’s manipulations, with Bertie revealing hidden depths. There’s something particularly special about O’Doherty’s on-screen presence that’s kept her memorable months later, and when you find out that she also was a writer and performer this year on “Inside Amy Schumer,” you know there’s buried talent there, hopefully destined to explode soon.

Bella Ramsey, “Game of Thrones”

The bloodthirsty fantasy drama relies on its strong performances to anchor the outrageous action, and while we’ve seen people come and go, mainly after getting brutally murdered, we were overdue for a fresh face. Although we had first heard of Lyanna Mormont offscreen after she sent a cheeky letter to Stannis Baratheon declaring her loyalty to the Stark clan, it wasn’t until Season 6 that we met the girl in the flesh. Ramsey perfectly captured the proud 10-year-old girl, who gamely took on a leadership position after the line of succession led to her when her kinsmen died at the Red Wedding. Ramsey gives Lyanna Mormont a strong bearing that belies her age, with just enough chutzpah and earnestness for humor that springs from incongruity.

John Rothman, “One Mississippi”

John Rothman portrayed the various levels of Bill (Tig Notaro’s longstanding step-father on “One Mississippi”) so well that even though we immediately sparked to the humorless, ritualistic patriarch, he became all the more lovable, likable, and impressive as his background was unveiled. Credit to the writers, of course, but Bill was brought to life by Rothman’s focused portrayal. He didn’t play too hard into the strict or human moments within Bill’s scenes as he carefully built a complicated man from the ground up. A veteran character actor dating back to the original “Ghostbusters,” we’re hoping this impressive turn allows Rothman the opportunity to explore more roles than ever before.

Justice Smith, “The Get Down”

The physical demands of Justice Smith’s role in “The Get Down” would’ve kept most actors busy on their own. The man behind Ezekiel “Books” Figuero had to earn his character’s nickname by spouting rhymes as if he was addicted to crafting the cutting combinations every second of every day. Moreover, he needed to be able to perform well enough for us to believe he’d someday rise to the level of Nas (who wrote and performed the present-day raps in the season). He more than accomplished both, and yet Smith’s towering achievement within the first six episodes of Baz Luhrmann’s period musical masterpiece had nothing to do with his acquired skills. It was his chemistry with co-star Herizen F. Guardiola that made the story take off, and his touching emotional moments that kept it grounded. He soared and stood, often at the same time. For that — and his other talents — he’s among the year’s elite.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag”

The Brit takes openness to new levels in this daring Amazon comedy in which the protagonist, whom we can only call Fleabag (since we never learn her true name), delivers every single naughty thought and deed with a breathless, borderline hysterical glee. The amount of energy Waller-Bridge can convey in every glance and every syllable is energizing, and when she turns her expressive eyes to the camera for even more intimate confidences, we’re goners. The actress also has the ability shift tones with the ease of a tick-ticking metronome as she switches from straightforward dialogue in a scene to suddenly breaking the fourth wall. Blink, and you really could miss one of her rapid-fire micro expressions, because she is a gifted slapstick comedian as well. This hyper-sharing and awareness is the black comedy overlay for something darker and less glib, and Waller-Bridge also gets credit for never skimping on the more heartfelt and horrifying emotions. This strength of this honesty is so brash and powerful that as viewers we often find ourselves alternatively gasping, snorting and despairing.

Late night host Conan O’Brien has taken his crew around the world since the early days of his first NBC show. Last year, he was the first late night host to take his show to Cuba since the U.S. embargo in 1962. Now, Conan O’Brien hits the world again by heading to Berlin and taking in the sights and sounds of German culture. On last night’s primetime special “Conan Without Borders: Berlin,” Conan showcased sections of his trip, including his lessons with German dance, his trips to a nude beach and a sausage factory. Below, watch two of the best clips from the episode: Conan’s visit to a dominatrix and his German lessons with actor and DJ Flula Borg.

As for why he constantly takes his show abroad, he told Deadline that “it’s fun to be an expat.” “It’s the kind of comedy that could still be funny if you watched it in six years. The funny parts will still be funny because they are not time-specific; there are no Mike Pence jokes or Rudy Giuliani jokes. No one will need a glossary of terms. It’s my kind of comedy. The stuff has a universality to it. It’s about human beings. And that’s what makes me happy right now.”

]]>http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/conan-berlin-dominatrix-german-lessons-flula-borg-obrien-tbs-1201755883/feed/01201755883‘Westworld’: How Fan Theories Affected the Cast and How to Handle Them in Season 2http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/westworld-theories-season-2-evan-rachel-wood-jeffrey-wright-1201753274/
http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/westworld-theories-season-2-evan-rachel-wood-jeffrey-wright-1201753274/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 14:00:53 +0000Ben Travershttp://www.indiewire.com/?p=1201753274

It all started with a text chain.

Long before “Westworld” debuted its mysterious premiere episode or even dropped a trailer, the very first fan theories came from what may seemed like an unlikely source.

Since creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy didn’t share any secrets with their cast until the shooting scripts were doled out, series regulars Evan Rachel Wood, Jimmi Simpson, Shannon Woodward, and Jeffrey Wright were in the dark as to what would happen in subsequent episodes. So the group started predicting twists the same way so many friends did as the show aired: via text.

“Poor Jimmi,” Wood told IndieWire. “He was my rock during the whole first season, and he would just get an earful every day from me about the thousands of theories that I had.”

“It was very much the way Evan describes it,” Simpson said. “We were all just speculating. Shannon and Evan seemed to talk the most and have the most in depth reasons for everything. Half the time they’d be totally right, sometimes they’d be half-right and sometimes they’d be completely wrong.”

“Everything means something! Every little detail,” Wood said. “I would go on set and start looking at what’s on the walls.”

“Evan did have theories, yes,” Wright said. “But she was kind of waving in the wind there, like everybody else.”

Though she admitted most of her predictions were wrong, Wood claims to have guessed three big ones correctly over the course of the final three episodes [spoilers ahead]: The Episode 9 twist unveiling Bernard as a robo-copy of Arnold, as well as the secret identities of Wyatt and The Man In Black, exposed in the finale.

“I’m pretty sure she called Bernard early on, and she might have even called the big one for me,” Simpson confirmed.

Wright, meanwhile, was told about Bernard’s secret identities after the pilot episode.

“I was a bit of a cheat, relative to everyone else, because I had prior knowledge,” Wright said. “So everyone else was a little in the dark, and I did my best to keep them there. It wasn’t only until the reveals were made in the scripts that I kind of joined in on the text chain.”

“I was more like an audience member: I would stew in it while I had it and then I would wait for the next thing,” Simpson remembered. “I had an idea about my [big] theory — the one people talked about — before they did, and I just kept it to myself because it wasn’t happening yet. Why mix in that idea if it doesn’t need to be talked about yet?”

This same logic could be applied to fan theories in general, and often was as Season 1 rolled out. Many viewers dug deep into the details to come up with predictions, while others boxed themselves away from fan theories in order not to be “spoiled.” Some wanted to find the center of the maze before they were led there, while others didn’t want their viewing experience altered by wild predictions that might or might not come true. Anyone who invested in the experience had to pick a side.

As hosts and humans plotted against each other in “Westworld,” a war between fan theorists and purists broke out in reality; changing both sides’ perception of the labyrinthian mystery forever.

Fan Theories on Fan Theories

But why did “Westworld” spark so much intensity? Many shows put forth big mysteries paired with even bigger twists, yet none reached the same ferocious fervor so quickly. According to the cast, it’s all about the writers.

“We, from the start, were so taken by what Jonah, Lisa, and the team of writers were coming up with, that we dug into this stuff pretty hard,” Wright said. “I think that fans are doing that as well. It’s really a function of just that: the quality of the writing.”

“It’s a psychological drama,” Wood said. “It’s an obstacle course for the mind. I love stuff like that. I want to go on a journey of epic proportions, but what separates it is the psychology and the workout it’s giving your brain. It feels good to figure out the puzzle. We have master storytellers behind us, and I think that was their goal.”

Wood is absolutely right. Nolan and Joy were well aware of the chords they struck on the “Westworld” player piano, dating back to its conception.

“To tell this story, we dropped little hints in their character journeys that also doubled as hints for the audience,” Joy said. “[We wanted] to see if they [could] come to the conclusion faster, or sometimes right along with them. It really was a fundamental part of their journey.”

Nolan, who’s worked on secretive, twisty blockbuster films like “The Prestige,” “Interstellar,” and “The Dark Knight,” noticed a difference between those carefully studied narratives and this one.

“Most of the time when I’ve worked on storytelling like this, where you’re really grounding the audience in one character, or, in this case, the character’s understanding of the universe they’re in, you’re not doing it on a weekly basis,” Nolan said. “On all the films I’ve worked on, there’s always a [Reddit] community that gets in there and pulls apart the narrative and looks at every angle. That’s gratifying because you laid in the details, and it’s exciting when people play with it. Here we were dealing with the larger picture of people who were reporting about those theories [on a weekly basis]. It’s a tricky thing.”

“I was a little anxious that one of us would slip-up.”

As one can imagine, studious viewers asking questions online and off put the pressure on everyone in the know to keep “Westworld’s” secrets safe. While perhaps an easier task if the actors and creators were left alone during the 10-week rollout, Nolan, Joy, Wood, Wright, and Simpson all agreed to dozens if not hundreds of interviews from the press while fielding fan theories tossed at them on social media.

“I was really stunned when they started calling out such specific things [after] Episode 2,” Simpson said. “And I was engaging with people who were watching the show, but I wasn’t engaging with those questions. So I reached out to Jonah and Lisa and asked, ‘Are people going to start tabulating the algorithms of my tweets not returned about this particular theory and figure out that’s the one I’m avoiding?’ And they said, ‘That’s a good call. We’re going to send everyone a prepared concept of what you should do with theories — truthful or not.'”

And that is in fact what they did. “[The guidelines] were basically ‘don’t be a liar’ and ‘just get through it,’ plus a couple options, but it was more about appreciating the thought put into [the fan theories] without giving away anything in the response,” Simpson said.

For example, Wright remembered talking about Bernard specifically as a “computer programmer” instead of a “man.” He didn’t want to give away anything, but at the same time, he didn’t want to lie to the fans who were putting all this time and effort into solving the maze that was “Westworld” Season 1.

“I was a little anxious that one of us would slip-up and confirm too much,” Wright said. “I’ve tried not to be too deceptive. I’ve tried to be pretty straightforward, but not misleading.”

Of course, vague or otherwise inconclusive statements in interviews only fueled the fan theory fires. Articles were written online about the most popular fan theories or the most likely to be proven true. Before long, the weekly affirmation or denial of popular theories became an expected Monday morning task — or chore, depending on your attitude toward theorizing. As the week progressed, new or revised theories started to come out.

And it was here that fan theories first started to concern the creators.

“In a lot of shows like this, over the years, a lot of the theories haven’t really added up to much,” Nolan said. “So I think everyone felt safe playing with theirs. I remember when people first started talking about the Man in Black and Logan (Ben Barnes) saying, ‘This is the craziest theory yet!’ And yet, it’s exactly where we were going with the narrative.”

Nolan added that “Our only concern then, really, is about whether or not a theory winds up [being true]. Look, at a certain point the theory’s obviously a spoiler, and there’s a kind of detente in terms of how spoilers are reported or relayed to the audience. For the audience that want to get under the hood like that, to figure out what’s happening, that’s great. [But] they constitute a relatively small portion of the audience, and so, the only thing I was bummed out about occasionally was when you see a quote/unquote ‘theory’ that was clearly a spoiler show up in the headline of an article; which means there’s no spoiler alert, there’s no ability to stay away from it, it’s in your face for the people who are trying to stay away from spoilers.”

Ideas Overshadowed by Twists

This specific burden of blame lays squarely on editors and reporters. The show’s construction invited such wild speculation, and assertions from the creators that all the answers were right in front of you from the start only fueled desire for discussion, debate, and confirmation. So it was up to online outlets (like and including IndieWire) to protect the purists while alerting the theorists to new information.

Can a harmless theory really spoil the fun? Does all the focus on fan theories, twists, and exposing secrets take away from the broader questions about humanity at the core of “Westworld”?

“I did have that thought,” Simpson said. “In Episode 2, when a lot of people were calling things out, I was like, ‘Oh, shucks man. The whole thing is waiting eight episodes to find that out, and that’s not going to be fun for them.’ But then I lost that a week later when I saw that the theories were flying around, but that was not curbing the enjoyment and the experience.”

“I get the sense that people are multitasking in all this,” Wright noted. “They’re not missing the themes that are being explored, they’re just taking it all in; enjoying following the bread crumbs down into the maze, if you will, and also experiencing the emotional, intellectual and meditative qualities of the show at the same time.”

“I was so invested in what this show meant as a whole, and that’s what made me want to figure it out more,” Wood said, creating a compelling argument for how theorists and purists can unite behind the show’s broader messages. The debate over how much fan theories help or hurt the show may still be at the center of the maze, but it’s up to each of us, individually, to decide what’s best moving into Season 2.

“Certain things you just won’t be able to guess,” Wood said. “They need to be explained to you. You’ll never be able to really connect the dots. You can have a feeling, but until it’s really laid out, it’s just not going to make sense to you. So, you know, keep trying.”

And the actress who started a text chain with the first fan theories, who studied walls of the set looking for clues, who relished being right just as she was excited to be wrong — she laughed.

Maybe we all should, too.

Additional reporting for this piece was conducted by Liz Shannon Miller.

]]>http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/westworld-theories-season-2-evan-rachel-wood-jeffrey-wright-1201753274/feed/01201753274‘South Park’ Finale Review: A Post-Funny Era of Satire Is Not What We Need Right Nowhttp://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/south-park-finale-review-season-20-episode-10-end-of-serialization-as-we-know-it-1201753843/
http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/south-park-finale-review-season-20-episode-10-end-of-serialization-as-we-know-it-1201753843/#commentsThu, 08 Dec 2016 04:53:15 +0000Ben Travershttp://www.indiewire.com/?p=1201753843

Is satire morally defendable when its misuse puts Donald Trump in the White House? “South Park” didn’t pose this question exactly during their rushed and overloaded Season 20 finale, but it’s more or less what we were left wondering. As Kyle and his cohorts scrambled to form a makeshift Trevor’s Axiom, Cartman contemplated a future where men were mined for their semen and jokes, Sheila Broflowski tried not to examine her husband’s search history, and Gerald himself tried to wipe out the internet before she could, the specter of Donald Trump (embodied by Mr. Garrison) hovered over everything — a dark shadow that would remain no matter what world “South Park” was left with.

One has to imagine this is how it felt writing the final half of the season for Trey Parker and Matt Stone. No matter what they did, Season 21 would air under a Trump presidency. We’ve noted already how badly the election sideswiped the duo’s grand narrative plans, and imagining a future with that man in our nation’s highest office is enough to make anyone reconsider their agenda anyway. The 2016 election drew up fundamental questions in all of us, which, for these creators, meant how “South Park” continues to function in 2017.

Beyond the aforementioned looming question, the duo tackled their new system, implemented over the last few years: serialization. If the episode title alone isn’t enough of a clue (“The End of Serialization As We Know It”), the narrative made sure to address what the series could look like moving forward. [spoilers ahead ] The internet, and all its historic data, was destroyed. After a half-heroic, half-self-serving act by Gerald and a selfless gesture by his son (of course), “South Park” was given the option to “start over. But even though Kyle’s hopeful narration wanted us to buy into an optimistic conclusion, the new era instead repeated the mistakes of the old one — and fast.

Whether all this means returning to an episodic structure in Season 21 is unsettled — though likely, I’d say — but Parker and Stone’s message was otherwise clear: What they’ve been doing isn’t working anymore, and it’s time for a change.

That being said, there are elements of the finale that deserve commendation: Setting up a scenario in which President Garrison would sincerely praise Kyle for his trolling skills — as a service he’s providing his country — is a brief moment of brilliance. So to was the use of Rick Rolling as torture music against Gerald and the implicit “Star Wars” references (when Kyle led a “coordinated cyber attack” against the Death Star Troll Trace, as well as Gerald’s final battle with the faux-leader of Denmark). I wish there could have been more time to explore the Danish leader’s assertion that “Maybe this is a new, post-funny era of satire?”

But those fixtures make for the kind of jokes Parker and Stone can build on when they’re not tied down by a serialized format. What kind of episodes could they have unleashed if they were free from a larger story? Instead of wrapping up as many loose ends as possible Wednesday night, we could have seen more specific commentary on recent events or a clearer message from voices who have been proven valuably insightful.

And value is the key. I don’t know if it’s a completely sound argument to say Season 20 verified that “South Park” is better off in an episodic format. Last season was largely flawless, after all. But what’s important is that “South Park” remains unencumbered by anything. The series’ worth is derived from its message and its humor, both of which thrive on freedom of speech. They always have, dating back to when cursing on cable was as taboo as nudity is now. At its peak, “South Park” delivered unparalleled satire, and providing at peak levels to a nation in need of relief as well as fresh perspectives is more important than ever. How they come up with it every week is up to them, but fighting the good fight is worth it, even if there’s no tomorrow.

Wednesday night, NBC is laying it all on the line by airing a live production of “Hairspray!,” Marc Shaiman’s musical adaptation of John Waters’ 1988 film. Set in Baltimore, MD during the 1960s Civil Rights movement, “Hairspray Live!” has the opportunity to take more risks than even your typical live TV performance by drawing pressing parallels to the modern day.

So, in an effort to match their courage (with considerably less risk), IndieWire will be reviewing the three-hour special as it airs. The official synopsis, per NBC, is as follows: “In ‘Hairspray Live!,’ teenager Tracy Turnblad’s dream is to dance on ‘The Corny Collins Show,’ a local TV program. When against all odds Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight.” Acclaimed live television director Alex Rudzinski (“Dancing with the Stars”) will join Tony-winning director Kenny Leon (“The Wiz Live!”). Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Oscar-winning ”Chicago,” ”The Wiz Live!” and the upcoming “A Few Good Men Live!”) serve as executive producers of “Hairspray Live!”

Follow along below throughout the airing for our assessment of the best and worst moments as they happen, and check back when it’s over for final thoughts, as well as a chronological rundown of the play.

In December, 1975, Norman Lear’s sitcom “One Day at a Time” premiered on CBS. Created by husband-and-wife duo Whitney Blake and Allan Manings, the series followed a divorced mother who raises her two daughters in Indianapolis on her own. The series ran for nine seasons and finished up in May, 1984.

Now, a modern take on the 70s sitcom will soon hit Netflix, and it’s produced by Lear himself. The series follows three generations of a Cuban-American family living under the same roof and navigating the ups and downs of life. Newly-single mother and military veteran Penelope (Justina Machado) contends with the trials and tribulations of raising her two children — Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz) with the help of her old-school mother (Rita Moreno) and building manager (Todd Grinnell). Watch a trailer for the series below.

The series is executive produced by Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce. Kellett previously worked as a writer and producer on the CW series “iZombie,” the long-running CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” and “Rules of Engagement.” Royce has served as a writer and producer on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Men of a Certain Age” and “Enlisted.” They will both serve as co-showrunners alongside Lear.

Intrigued by the mysteries of Netflix’s “3%”? You’re in luck, as Netflix has officially announced that the Brazilian dystopian thriller, created by Pedro Aguilera and executive produced by director Cesar Charlone (the notable cinematographer of 2002’s “City of God”) has been renewed for a second season.

Netflix VP of Marketing Latin America Vini Losacco revealed the news at CCXP (AKA the Sao Paulo Comic Con Experience) during a panel devoted to the series. While in classic Netflix tradition, no statistics are available as to how the series performed, an audience of 3,500 was there to watch the cast, including Bianca Comparato, Vaneza Oliveira, Michel Gomes, Rafael Lozano, Viviane Porto and Rodolfo Valente, learn the news. Based on the photo below, they were perhaps happy to hear it.

“3%” depicts a future world in which 20-year-olds living in squalor have the opportunity to compete for a chance to join a far more prosperous society. The competition is brutal, but it’s the secrets these characters are hiding that might be their real undoing — and have us excited to see what comes next.

Beyond the drama on screen, the series represents not just the first Brazilian original series produced by Netflix, but another step in the streaming giant’s ongoing quest to become a fully global company. No release date has been set for the show’s return. Check out some additional photos from the cast’s appearance at CCXP below.

On Tuesday night’s episode of “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” the host decided to make an aspiring screenwriter’s dream come true. In a sketch called “Starbucks Theater,” Corden headed to a local Starbucks to find the next best Hollywood script, produce it and film it on location.

“Our show is filmed in Los Angeles and in Los Angeles, every single coffee shop is full of aspiring writers on their laptops trying to to churn out the next great Hollywood screenplay,” he began. “But we thought, why wait for Hollywood when we can find and produce one of these scripts inside a local Starbucks.”

Corden then heads to the coffee shop, interviews writers and asks them what their screenplay is about. His selections include a “Terms of Endearment” meets “Mars Attack” project, another called “The Circumcisionist,” and his final selection, a western that takes place in Sicily in 1860 by writer Dante.

Having chosen Dante’s screenplay as the one, Corden then proceeds to cast the film using the people at the Starbucks, builds the sets and starts filming the feature. He then calls up Jason Schwartzman and asks him to head over and play the lead role of Constantino.

“Oh boy, that’s great,” Schwartzman says when he arrives to the location. “We’re going to do it right now?” Corden replies, “Yeah, it’s happening. I’m directing.”

The final film is quite hilarious, with Starbucks products used throughout as props. Oh, the things you can build with straws.